


Lines

by bisexualreina



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Body Dysphoria, Body Image, Dana Scully Angst, Domestic Fox Mulder/Dana Scully, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:07:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27004027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexualreina/pseuds/bisexualreina
Summary: Trigger Warning: Body image, mention of eating disorders, mention of depression
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	Lines

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warning: Body image, mention of eating disorders, mention of depression

Scully had been worried. She knew the Mulder that had come back to her was the same goofy, accepting, weirdo that she had once come to tolerate, respect, and eventually love. He had changed physically, they both had, in that matter, but life on the run seemed to be treating him quite well.

He was always one for runs, jogging up and down river banks, the mall of the Lincoln Memorial, any track her could gain access to, and it drove Scully nuts. Before it was simply because she needed him in one place, now out in the middle of nowhere jogging at three in the morning to clear his head.

She did appreciate the outcomes, however, the way his shirts would cling in the right places, allowing her to steal a glance out of the reflection of her glasses. As their years together their physiques were bound to change, her cancer diagnosis had slimmed her down at an alarming rate, and following she had always tried to remain the picture of health, until now.

In her beginning years of her work in that dank basement, Dana Scully had no issue in the similar indulgences of Fox Mulder, but upon that first nosebleed, she had promptly decided to change many life choices. Her lunches were switched from sandwiches to lean salads, a grapefruit with a small cup of yogurt, or whatever else she was reading up on. Unlike Mulder she found herself hating running, opting for a yoga class or something less intense, her job kept her on her toes and her blood pressure at a healthy level, and her mind was normally cleared by her long commutes to and from work. She was satisfied with the trim shape she kept herself in, and conceded that as long as her health was fine, she would continue her life just as it was.

However what she wasn’t expecting was the unexpected conception of her son, and everything that had brought. Despite the immense joy she felt as her child grew and expanded, she realized all of her hard work had flown right out of the window. Those salads she once learned to dress up extravagantly to enjoy, were now both repulsive and never filled her, the Chicago pizzeria drawing her in and reminding her of home upon her drive away from the office, often times opting for that. 

She had noticed the filling of her face and cheeks, how her breasts felt entrapped in her bras, and she was rational about it, it was healthy to gain weight while pregnant. Her metabolism was different than before and she was confident that with all her running around she’d shed it, but she also told herself that she didn’t care, soon she would have her baby and she’d be happier than she had ever been, and her waistline wouldn’t matter.

She was truly only belly during those nine months, the roundness of her face and cheeks a small adjustment, but nothing she couldn’t brush off in the moment, she was pregnant and happy.

However, upon her son’s rapid arrival, the emotional toll of postpartum life, and giving him up, she found herself struggling to get back into her previous routine of health.

To many, they reveled in her figure, how she had managed to “bounce back” in such a timely fashion, but what they weren’t seeing was the late nights crying on the bathroom floor with her two breasts hooked up to a machine, pumping her dry as she tried to wean without her baby, causing that baby weight to melt off. Her taste buds had changed, and many of those healthy alternatives just seemed like sawdust on a plate, making her opt for smaller snacks throughout the day in order to convince those around her that she was full.

Her loneliness had taken her appetite away, and most days it was a struggle just climb out of bed and get to the coffee that Mulder would brew, sipping the beige liquid until it grew cold, dumping it down the sink. So she was back, back to the tiny woman she had once been, but she didn’t know if any of it was worth it.

Mulder had noticed the change in her both mentally and physically. Upon his arrival back into her life, he was shocked to see his slender partner when one of his last images of her was carrying their, what he later would find out, large son. He couldn’t compare to their last morning together when she was layered under the blankets, her mother and Monica tending to her every need, she looked different, and he couldn’t tell why.

They had drank a little, both of them buzzed warmly with the wine that he had suggested, allowing it to take over their subconscious. She had crawled on top of him while both of them were perched on the sofa, her desperate lips finding his as they both bloomed into this intimate moment. He carefully cupped the back of her head as he allowed her to explore his mouth, her legs straddling his waist. He kissed her back tenderly and reveled in the sweet taste of her lips, the wine still lingering on them making them an irresistible shade of crimson.

He knew she needed love, to feel love, appreciation, and from him, a sincere feeling of remorse. She was moaning desperately into his mouth with the intensity of their kisses, allowing him to grab behind her legs and lift her swiftly from the couch, carrying her towards her bedroom where he carefully leaned her against the mattress, working her blouse with his fingers.

She nodded at the motion and began to work his, an ache in her fingers longing for _him._ His lips pulled away from her intense motions, now slowly brushing against the warm skin of her neck, finding the point of her pulse and sucking tenderly, causing her to quake underneath his touch from that alone. Running his nose between her breasts that he quickly released from their lavender bralette, running his hands over her peaks.

_“Mulder.”_ She almost begged at this point, needing him inside her, causing him to reach down and hook his finger onto the corner of her matching underwear, but her finger drew his gaze up towards her heaving expression, her eyes closed as she focused.

He grinned and slowly began to massage, the slick wetness causing her to exhale and expand before him, allowing him to begin circulating his fingers faster as she clasped a hand over her mouth, but he just pulled it away and stared into her now dilated eyes.

“You don’t need to hold back.” He promised, his other hand gripping her sharp hip bone as he continued, he wanted her to enjoy herself, and he wanted her to be ready for what was about to come next.

He slowly began to move a leg, brushing it to the side with care, glancing up at Scully who seemed to twitch at the movement, groaning as her high came down with a nervous shudder.

“No…Mulder, no.” She moaned, untangling her legs from Mulder’s grip, fighting to keep her legs closed. He worried that he had done something, that she felt unsafe with him, or just in general, carefully easing up as she silently closed her thighs.

“I have stretch marks…they got darker since William.” She blurted out, feeling like she needed an explanation, crossing her legs modestly before scooting up the bed, her arms now covering her bare breasts. 

She had wished he was there when there son was brought into the world, more than anything, but there was also a part of her that was secretly grateful that he had missed the more gruesome aspects of their son’s arrival which began to bloom with her insecurities.

Would he even consider this if he had seen what had happened in her nether regions. Monica had mentioned tears, she had felt it all, and it felt horrendous, but even after that had healed she was still left with faint reminders of all that had happened. 

She had thankfully avoided the glassy marks on her stomach, grateful for the moisturizers and aloe that she had read up on, but she was not spared the web of them that traced the insides of her thighs. She had no clue how they had made their way down into that intimate area, and felt her throat tighten at the thought of them. 

Mulder’s fingers traced them ever so slightly while moving her leg, and she could feel the deepening shame that came with the simple touch, causing her to fold into herself on the bed, quite embarrassed by the whole ordeal.

Mulder just sat silently, allowing her time to continue with the rest of her story, her hands nervously running up and down the outsides of her porcelain thighs, nail marks slightly causing her skin to goosebump. He crossed his legs and listened intently, wanting to give her his full attention while she explained what she had been feeling lately.

“After William…god he was so big…” She trailed off, the memory almost fond as she glanced down at her lap, tracing stars onto the bend of her knee subconsciously, an automatic reminder of her child who’s crib once sat just feet away from where she was sitting.

“He ruined so many _things_ down there…and there are so many marks. I thought that just having a free for all while being pregnant with a ginormous baby wouldn’t have any consequences, but now I just…” She faltered, focusing to fight off the tears that began choking her up.

“It’s hard to feel beautiful right now.” She admitted, refusing to look her partner in the eye. What she had said hurt him, it struck a deep cord as he gazed at what he could only describe as the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. There was no one compared to Dana Katherine, even her name danced over his lips like a song, filling him with light and air. 

He had noticed little things, the huffs of frustration as she struggled back into her old work suits, the coffee down the drain, the longer mornings in bed before she would emerge from her bedroom that she had yet to invite him back into.

He moved closer and set his hands over her shins, rubbing them softly until glancing up at her with one of his signature eyebrow raises, making her giggle softly before settling back into the silence.

“Scully, you did the unthinkable.” He began, making her urge to roll her eyes grow, but his expression warned against it, allowing him to continue with whatever point he was making. 

“Really?” She brushed off, sarcasm lacing her words as she sunk farther back into the bed, but he refused to let her, his hands now trailing to her waist, as he crawled forward.

“Yes, your tiny little self carried and bore a Mulder child all on it’s own, and we are known specifically for our noteworthy noggins.” He exclaimed, making her scoff at the point and sigh deeply, her buzz from the wine now evaporating as she sat sober and half naked.

“I know, I was there for the stitches.” She groaned, her desire eliminating with each phrase he suggested, and he could tell, reigning her in with a sincere purse of his pillowy lips that she had just gotten lost in moments ago.

“Scully, you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen. Especially now, each stretch mark and line on your body is a reminder of the miracle that was our son,your resilience and bravery that you have.” He grinned, something about his charm making her sigh and lean forward, placing a less hungry kiss on his lips, this one delicate and soft, which is how she felt in that moment, surrendering to him. He couldn’t help but smile at the feeling of tears wetting her eyelashes and brushing against his, his instinct to now reach up and cup her face.

“I love you, Scully, scars and all.” He whispered, his eyes twinkling with sincerity, causing her to bite back a watery gasp, those words warming her insides as she gazed in his direction.

“I love you too.” She managed, taking a centering breath as she began to slowly unravel, sliding lower down the bed for him. He grinned and carefully lifted a leg, noticing the silvering marks on her skin, reveling in their glistening in the light that was streaming in. He watched as she studied him, unable to truly let go, giving him an idea, he needed to show her.

He began carefully rubbing the inside of her thighs, aware of how his touch alone previously made her squirm, lightly brushing the soft skin. He then carefully hooked her leg onto his shoulder and began kissing the inside of her leg, starting just past her knee and farther in, her body reacting how he wanted it to as he grew closer and closer. He began with her again, one hand paying her very close attention while the other braced the outside of her leg, squeezing and massaging until he finally heard a pleasureful exhale on her end.

He looked up nervously, hiding it with a mischievous smirk, but it quickly faded when he noticed a slight smile on Scully’s face, her back arching as she allowed herself to enjoy what he was giving her.

“Alright Scully…” He breathed, getting ready to give her all that she wanted, all that he could tonight, noticing the slight uneasiness slip away as her eyes met his, reaching a hand out for him to grip.

“I trust you.” And she meant it, it wasn’t Mulder’s job to revive that beauty that she had been fighting to feel in herself again, he couldn’t bring it back with one night of love making. She knew it personal work on her part to love herself and for all the gifts her body had given her, but she appreciated his love, the way he tenderly reminded her that he was willing to love her for the both of them, and by the way his lips grazed those marks with such love and care, she knew she could trust him on this journey of hers.


End file.
